If you have a child with additional needs or disability, you may be encouraged to know that your child has the right to attend the local public school or a private school and receive education on the same basis as their peers.

The Disability Discrimination Act (1992) and the Disability Standards for Education (2005, updated 2015) are laws which support inclusion by stating that the school must make reasonable adjustments for students as needed and not allow any harassment or victimisation of the student.

Reasonable adjustments include:

– altering the environment to ensure the students with disability have safe and easy access to the school building and grounds and can participate in all school activities

-presenting the curriculum in ways that enable students to participate in and achieve learning on the same basis as their peers

The Australian National Curriculum recognises that students may be at different developmental levels. Developmental levels are detailed in the General Capabilities part of the Curriculum. Teachers can use the levels to make personalised adjustments for students for each area of the curriculum. In this way the student can be taught the curriculum according to their level of development.

In addition to classroom learning, students have the right to participate in all school activities, including sports, excursions, ceremonies, special interest groups, break and lunch time activities, and events such as camps, fairs, plays, competitions, entertainment and recreational activities.

Inclusion in education is a process of enrolment, consultation and working in partnership.  Often the process is hampered by barriers. If you are the parent or carer of the student, your role will be extremely important in ensuring that any barriers are removed or reduced. Therefore, it will help you to know more about possible barriers that may exist, and how to address them.

Barriers may fit into two categories:

1. Opportunity barriers. These may be policy, ( for example the school has a rule that student’s cannot bring their own technology to school); practice ( for example, the school allows  the student to bring their technology but teachers don’t help the student to use it); attitude ( for example other students resent that the student gets extra attention from the teacher and become disruptive); knowledge, ( for example the teacher does not have knowledge of the student’s disability so doesn’t understand their needs); and skill ( for example the teacher aide doesn’t have the skills to use the technology).
2. Access barriers. These are found in the environment and/or within the capabilities of the student.

Opportunity barriers can be reduced or removed through talking openly and asking for assistance, cooperation and interventions to make changes.

Access barriers are usually reduced through making changes to the environment and reasonable adjustments to the curriculum, activities and events to enable the student to participate.

The support of specialists or advocacy may be helpful to identify and remove barriers. If possible, involve the student in identifying the barriers they are experiencing and making suggestions about how to address them.

In circumstances where there is resistance or refusal from the school to reduce or remove barriers to the student’s inclusion in education, a complaint process can be followed through the school, the Department of Education, and ultimately through a discrimination claim if unresolved at school or department level. See more about this on Finding Your Way Complaints in Education page.

For most students and their families /carers inclusion in education is a positive process that builds the community and improves quality of life for students, families and the school. However, it may also be possible for your child to attend a special or developmental school that is specifically for students with disability.  Where a child may be eligible for enrolment in such a school, it may also be possible for the student to have a dual enrolment with the local public or private school.

Distance, online (or e-schooling) may be another option for education, or a way that you determine is appropriate to reduce barriers to inclusion. E-schooling may be accessed from home or school, and dual enrolments are possible. See more about this on Finding Your Way Dual Enrolment page.

E-schooling involves accessing live teaching through the internet and online teaching tools which may suit the student’s personal learning preferences and abilities. Opportunities for inclusion in social events and educational excursions are usually provided as part of e-schooling.